Should starlight fade before battle
by Oblivian03
Summary: On the eve of battle, two talk in peace of simple things forgotten in hatred and fear by the others. One shot.


**I do not own the Hobbit.**

* * *

**I think it would be cool if Peter Jackson included a scene in the last Hobbit film where Kili and Tauriel had a friendly talk on the eve before battle. In any case, here is how it appeared in my head. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Should starlight fade before battle,

And that which makes us breaks us;

Should our young men quake and rattle,

Answering a call to arm, a call to harm;

Should we be slaughtered like cattle,

Drowned in scarlet blood, a crimson flood;

Should wise men preach and prattle,

Their words of peace soon to cease;

Should the world end here and now,

Upon the back of a bloody attack;

Should sweat then grace their brow,

Warriors strong, both right and wrong;

Should be broken a vow,

One to protect, follow, respect;

Should one or both sides bow,

Call amends as their will bends."

"You are quite the poet," Kili commented, knees drawn up around his chin as the last of the she-elf's words faded into the dark evening air.

"It does not take much talent to rhyme," Tauriel replied, "Especially when once has been raised on certain social etiquettes."

"Dwarves have not much need for poetry," Kili shot back, his nose stuck up in the air as he allowed a small amount of haughtiness to slip into his voice, "For we have more important things to worry about such as seeing who can bury themselves in the bottom of their tankard first." Tauriel gave a short, sharp laugh drawing Kili's gaze back to her face.

"I am sure some of those who were in your company could hold a vast amount of liquor," the redhead commented.

"Aye," Kili agreed, "It is the smaller, seemingly harmless ones you want to watch out for. Bombur may deprive you of your cheese, but Bofur will drink you dry in a heartbeat and be all the more merrier for it."

The two were seated opposite each other on differing sides of the field upon which much destruction and carnage would rein. Their own respective sides lay slumbering for the most part behind them, save for the few sentries who both Kili and Tauriel had passed unnoticed to meet under the growing starlight. The unrest created by the friction caused from the rubbing together of the leaders of the men, elves and dwarves had failed to follow the two who found a sort of tranquil peace under the open sky.

"You can forget what the fresh air is like being shut away in a mountain," Kili said, stretching out his legs and arms before leaning back against the rock behind them, hands folded behind his head.

"Yet surely, as a dwarf, you are used to such a thing," Tauriel proclaimed. The brunette dwarf opposite her smiled in the gloom and shook his head. He knew he only had a short period of time before he would be missed - he had not even told his brother where he was going - but the brown haired prince of Erebor was going to savour every moment for as long as he could regardless.

"I did not grow up as most dwarves would have," Kili replied, a small smile on his face as he relished in good memories, "Not for our uncle and mother's lack of trying however. It was just that our home in the Blue Mountains was far from what it could have been, what it should have been if the circumstances were different. I spent half my time in the forest on the outskirts of where we lived hunting with Fili."

"So you are not afraid of the wilderness," Tauriel remarked.

"Not really, no," Kili replied, "But then again, my family has never really allowed me into it on my own, my brother being the worst."

"I suppose they thought you were too reckless," Tauriel commented, referring back to what the dwarfish archer had said back in the dungeons of Thranduil.

"Well, my reputation didn't exactly reassure them, still doesn't if you ask me," Kili admitted casting his eyes down, fidgeting with his tunic.

"Surely it could not have been that bad that they would not let you out on your own," Tauriel said, frowning.

"Thorin almost threatened to do just that," Kili said, eyes still locked on the ground, "After he had locked me inside for a week _after _I had recovered from a particularly bad incident."

"What did you do?" Tauriel gasped, aghast that such a fate might be brought upon anyone.

"Nothing," Kili cried out his hands failing around a little, "All that happened was I fell off a pony."

"And?" Tauriel pressed, "For surely _that_ could not have been the only thing that happened."

"And then was trampled by it," Kili answered, "Not too badly though, or else I wouldn't be here."

"Why did you fall off?" the she-elf asked, wincing in sympathy for the pain the young dwarf must have gone through.

"A bear spooked it while I was trying to shoot down a buck," Kili informed her.

"You should be grateful you were not set upon by the bear," Tauriel remarked, "For that would have been disastrous."

"Well.." the brunette said somewhat sheepishly.

"You weren't attacked by the bear were you?"

"When I fell the arrow loosed from my bow and sort of hit it in the leg," Kili said, "The bear wasn't too happy about that."

"How did you survive?" Tauriel exclaimed, "No offence, but a dwarf against a bear…"

"Dwalin was with me," the brunette said, "He managed to drive it away before it could do too much damage. Thorin was not pleased when he found out. Nearly scared him to death from all the blood apparently." Kili grinned. "I still have the scars if you want to see them."

"Depends where these scars are," Tauriel shot back suspiciously.

"Well, if it makes you _that _uncomfortable I'll only show you the ones on my arm," Kili said, and true to his word he pushed up the sleeve of his coat and tunic after undoing his brace on his right arm, revealing four large and slightly risen lines marring his skin.

"Oh my…" Tauriel gasped, unable to keep the shock out of her voice, "I can see why your family must worry if something like this befell you."

"Most would probably agree with you," the brown haired dwarf told her.

A period of silence fell upon the two as the topic they had been conversing about died. Behind the two beings sounds from both the camps of the elves and men, and the great city of Erebor could be heard upon the wind. The stars twinkled down upon them and the moon shone as bright as ever as though nothing were wrong in the world. Tauriel sighed as a thought came upon her, one that she would have rather not entertained.

"We may very well come face to face with each other upon the field come the dawn of morrow," Tauriel stated, her eyes cast upon a point in the distance that could be seen past even the bulk of Erebor.

"If we even survive that long," Kili muttered, a hand unconsciously flying to the still healing wound on his thigh, "A battle between three armies is a large scaled fight I am sure we could all do without."

"I would doubt most are eager for battle and the chance to kill or be killed," Tauriel reasoned, "Most would not have seen even a skirmish half the size of this."

"I know I haven't," Kili muttered darkly, "Nor has Fili."

"I am sure you and you brother will be fine," the she-elf reassured the prince. Kili looked to the redhead with a sceptical expression.

"Against hardened warriors? Against elves? That seems more like the hopes of an ignorant youth than any sort of reality," Kili snorted.

"And are you not an ignorant youth?" Tauriel asked.

"Not anymore," Kili replied with not lightness to his tone whatsoever, "My eyes have been opened beyond what they once were to see that not everything is as I once thought it was. Even great heroes can fall upon their swords and have their hearts shrivelled to nothing." His words were bitter, voice even more so.

"There is nothing wrong with a little faith," Tauriel said.

"There is nothing worth having faith over," Kili replied, "For the higher powers have long since abandoned my kin and I, and it does not look as though a reprieve will be given in the luck of the dwarves of Erebor any time soon."

Tauriel's eyes hardened at the dwarfish archer's words, not impressed that the brunette saw the situation that was about to unravel as one without hope. Difficult as it might be when the time came, but there was always a chance things would work out.

"Have faith that you and your brother will make it through," she chided the youth, "For if you can survive a poisoned arrow and you can both survive a dragon, then I am sure you will not fall in battle, not tomorrow."

"Aye, Fili is too good a warrior to let either elf or man get the upper hand of him, no offence," Kili added as an afterthought. Tauriel smirked.

"Then he has obviously never fought me," she said lightly.

Kili did not reply to her words, rather staring up at the stars as he mulled over a heap of thoughts in his head. A small crease had found its way onto the brunette's forehead and one corner of his mouth was turned down.

"You know," he said, "I still have no idea as to why you saved me." Tauriel offered the dwarf a small smile as he lowered his eyes to meet hers.

"Because," she said ever so softly, "I thought your life was worth it." Kili stared at her for a moment before making to stand.

"I should be getting back," he informed her, "Fili will no doubt be missing me."

"I should return to my post as well," Tauriel replied, beginning to move off in her own direction. She paused, however, as Kili's last words floated to her through the air of the seemingly vast gap which separated them.

"You have my undying gratitude," the brown haired dwarf murmured before walking off into the night leaving the red haired she-elf alone.

* * *

**Please review (I know my poetry is not the best).**


End file.
